Finger-beam attachment for harvesters



(No Model.) v

- H. P. GALLIGAN.

FINGER BEAM ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS;

Patented 001;.

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NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HUGH P. GAL'LIGAN, OF WHEATLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FINGER-BEAM ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS.

SPEGIIE IGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,724, dated October 6, 1891.

Application filed December 10, 1890. Serial No. 874,214. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

1% it known that I, HUGH P. GALLIGAN, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at heatland, Yuba county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Finger-Beam Attachments for Harvesters; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the general class of harvesters, and especially to that sub-class known as headers, and in which 'a draperplatform is located at the front of the machine, its forward side being formed and bounded by the finger-beam in which the reciprocating sickle works.

My invention consists in the novel attachment to this finger-beam and draper-platform, which I shall hereinafter fully describe, and specifically point out in the claims. 1

The object of this attachment is to enable the sickle to out the entire length of the finger-beam. In the present machine this is not the case, as the last finger through which the sickle passes is not at the end of the fingerbeam by about a foot from it, and the cutting of the. sickle stops at this last finger. There is, therefore, a loss of a foot approximately at the endof the finger-beam, and the machine does not cut a swath as wide as its beam is long. In the ordinary machines the last finger is set back from the end of the beam for the reason that the draper-roller is mounted between the beam and back bar at that end, and the supporting-block of the swath-board must be far enough inside of the line of this roller to allow the board to lie with its inner edge over the draper, so that the cut grain will fall upon said draper.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation of my invention, the figure represents in perspective a portion of a harvester with my improvement applied thereto.

I have notherein attempted to showa header in detail, but by the letter A designate sufficient to illustrate the improvement. The draper-platform is formed between the back bar B and the finger-beam C, said finger-beam being of the ordinary construction and having attached to it the guard-fingers D, in which the reciprocating sickle E works.

F is the draper. Right at the end of the forward side of the finger-beam and beyond its last finger I bolt or otherwise secure the supporting finger G, formed to serve the double purpose of receiving the sickle, as do the other fingers, and of supporting the forward end of the swath-board H, the rear end of which is supported by a vertical standard I, rising from the back bar. This construction provides by means of the supporting-fin; ger, for the sickle to out throughout the entire length of the beam, as said finger acts in this respect as the other fingers. It also provides, as before stated, a support for the swath-board. Now it follows that as the swath-board is moved over to the end of the draper-platforrn in order to be supported by the finger it is necessary to carry the draper itself beyond the ordinary end of the platform, so that it shall pass under the swathboard and receive the grain therefrom. To do this I have the extension-brackets J ,which are properly secured to the ends of the fingerbeam and back bar, and in these extensionbrackets are carried the boxes 70, in which thedraper-roller K is mounted. This entire construction therefore accomplishes the obj ectintended of makingthe sickle cut throughout the entire length of the beam and still to have the parts arranged with relation to each other as beforethatis'to say, that the swathboard shall be over the end of the draper. This construction also enables me to readily apply the attachment to any of the headers now in use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a harvester, extensions secured to the finger-beam and back bar and carrying the draper-roller, and a supporting-finger secured at the end of the finger-beam in front of the extensions, said finger receiving the end of the sicklepvhich operates through it, and also supporting the forward end of the swathboard, substantially as herein described.

2. In a harvester, the finger-beam, back bar, draper-roller, and swath-board, in combination with the supporting-finger G at the end of the finger-beam, receiving the sickle and supporting the swath-board, and the extension-brackets secured to The end of the finger-beam and back bar and carrying the 10 draper-roller, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HUGH P. GALLIGAN. \Vitnesses:

O. C. KELsER. F. W. POTTER. 

